Chinese Cultures

Passions of the Cut Sleeve : The Male Homosexual Tradition in China by Bret Hinsch 

The first detailed treatment of the Chinese homosexual tradition in any Western language, Passions of the Cut Sleeve shatters preconceptions and stereotypes. Gone is the image of the sternly puritanical Confucian as sole representative of Chinese sexual practices and with it the justification for the modern Chinese insistence that homosexuality is a recent import from the decadent West. Rediscovering the male homosexual tradition in China provides a startling new perspective on Chinese society and adds richly to our understanding of homosexuality. Bret Hinsch's reconstruction of the Chinese homosexual past reveals unexpected scenes. An emperor on his deathbed turns over the seals of the empire to a male beloved; two men marry each other with elaborate wedding rituals; parents sell their son into prostitution. The tradition portrays men from all levels of society emperors, transvestite actors, rapists, elegant scholars, licentious monks, and even the nameless poor. Drawing from dynastic histories, erotic novels, popular Buddhist tracts, love poetry, legal cases, and joke books, Passions of the Cut Sleeve evokes the complex and fascinating male homosexual tradition in China from the Bronze Age until its decline in recent times.

China Rainbow Association

China Rainbow Association, a gay Chinese social support organization, is based in Los Angeles, California. CRA was established by volunteers to address the unique needs of the gay Chinese community in the southern California area in 1996. CRA's mission is to promote friendship and unity, provide assistance, foster social and political awareness, and enhance positive self-image among the gay Chinese. Many of our members are  immigrants and CRA is striving to become a home for members away from home.

This site has extensive links to Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

Gay China

This free membership website offers gay and lesbian Chinese contacts all over the world.

Worldson's Bibliography of Chinese Tongzhi

This is an extensive bibliography (in Chinese), sorted by publisher, type (LGBT), author and date.  A downloadable file is provided as well as an online version.